The Celtics defeated Milwaukee, 112-96, in Game 7 of their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series on Saturday night at the Garden and will move on to face Philadelphia in the second round.

Jim Fenton The Enterprise @JFenton_ent

BOSTON – The chant began around 10:15 on Saturday night with the Celtics ticket to the second round of the playoffs just about secured.

 “We want Philly,’’ came the message from a capacity crowd at the TD Garden. “We want Philly.’’

 And that is what they will get.

 The Celtics have advanced to a second-round meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers thanks to a solid Game 7 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

 With Al Horford, Terry Rozier and rookie Jayson Tatum leading the way, the Celtics eliminated the Bucks, 112-96, denying Milwaukee its first series win since 2001.

 The Celtics improved to 20-4 in Game 7s at home and 23-8 overall with the victory over the Bucks.

 They will open the series with the 76ers on Monday night at the Garden at 8 p.m. with Game 2 on Thursday at 8:30 p.m.

 The Celtics survived the Bucks despite losing starter Jaylen Brown late in the first half with a right hamstring injury.

 Rozier (26 points on 10 for 16 shooting with five 3-pointers and nine assists), Horford (26 points on 13 for 17 shooting with eight rebounds) and Tatum (20 points, six rebounds) led the way for the Celtics.

 Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 29 points while Giannis Antetokounmpo had 22 points while dealing with foul trouble. Eric Bledsoe, who heard “Who is Bledsoe?’’ chants all night, had 23 points.

 The Celtics took the lead for good at 17-15 with 3:25 to go in the first quarter on a Tatum basket.

 They were in front by as many as 16, but the Bucks made several runs at the Celtics, who kept fighting them off.

 Marcus Morris (10), Shane Larkin (eight) and Aron Baynes (eight points, seven rebounds) gave the Celtics a lift off the bench.

 Rozier came through with back-to-back 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to give the Celtics space when the Bucks were trying to make a late charge.

 The Celtics took an 81-67 lead into the fourth quarter, shooting 53 percent through the opening 36 minutes.

 Three players did the bulk of the scoring for the Celtics in the first three quarters with Horford (24), Tatum (16) and Rozier (14) carrying the offense.

 The Bucks had crept within 54-51 early in the third quarter behind Bledsoe, but the Celtics went on a 9-2 lead to get the lead back to double digits.

 Horford had two baskets and Rozier hit a 3-pointer while Tatum scored on a drive.

 The closest the Bucks got in the quarter was seven, but the Celtics responded with an 11-2 run and wound up with the 14-point advantage going into the last quarter.

 Horford scored 10 of his points in the third quarter while Tatum had seven and Morris got his offense going with six late in the quarter.

 The Celtics went on a 20-2 run over the final 4:56 of the first quarter to take a 30-17 lead with Tatum scoring seven of the points.

 The Bucks were in front, 15-10, when Antetokounmpo made two foul shots with 5:14 left in the opening quarter, but they were limited to a driving layup by Bledsoe in the last five-plus minutes.

 The Celtics had that lead whittled in a hurry in the second quarter, though, as the Bucks started with a 13-2 run to get within 32-20 less than four minutes in.

 Bledsoe had six of the points and Antetokounmpo hit a 3-pointer during that spree.

 The Celtics responded by scoring nine straight points to take a 41-30 lead with Horford and Rozier scoring two baskets apiece.

 With Antetokounmpo on the bench for the final 5:30 of the half with three fouls, the Celtics were unable to take advantage.

 By halftime, the Bucks had closed within 50-42 with Middleton getting his offense going.

 

The Celtics and 76ers have a long playoff history, and this will be their first meeting since 2012.

 

The young Sixers are one of the hottest teams in the NBA, finishing the regular season with a surge to gain the No. 3 seed in the East.